News

A powerful play about women and war will be presented in a special reading on Sunday December 2 at 5 p.m. Funded by NYS Council on the Arts & GVCA Decentralization of Livingston County.

Dansville Rotary Club pledged to support the building expansion project several years before the official start of the "Where Knowledge Grows" Campaign. An initial gift of $10,700 was accepted by the library as part of Rotary’s official pledge of $25,000. The pledge supports children’s services and earned Rotary naming rights to the story room in the Shepard Memorial building and to one of the individual study rooms in the new addition.

Those on hand for the presentation of the check by Rotary President Graham Marcus were Library Board President Dave Reinholtz and Library Director Terry Dearing. The presentation was made during a children’s story time program in the Children’s Story Alcove.

The Dansville Lions Club presented the library with a donation of $5000 this month, the first payment on its pledge of $25,000. The pledge was made as part of the library’s Where Knowledge Grows! Capital Campaign for the expansion of the building. The campaign, officially launched in 2009, exceeded its goal of $750,000 through a combination of individual gifts, foundation and corporate grants. The new addition and renovated Shepard library building re-opened to the public on January 9.

Pictured receiving the check are Children’s Services Coordinator Brandy Olsheski, and Library Director Teresa Dearing. Also pictured are Lions Club members Jim Helfrich, President; Larry McKinney, First Vice President; and Barry Haywood, Secretary.
The Lions Club pledge funds will be used toward the expansion of children’s programming. ‘Every summer the library features week-long creative and learning opportunities,’ stated Dearing. ‘The Arts Council grants have helped support these programs in the past, but recent cuts in their funding have meant reducing the number of days of each program and a reduction in the number of programs we can offer. With this donation, we are pleased to know we can continue to provide these unique events, and to enhance them, for years to come.’
The Dansville Public Library at 200 Main Street serves 10,419 people from Dansville and the surrounding nine towns and villages. With annual circulation in excess of 60,000, the Library is a community center dedicated to providing a gathering place for residents to explore, to meet, to learn and to relax. For more information about the Library and its services, or to take a tour of the library, call 585-335-6720, or visit us on the web at www.dansvillelibrary.org.

Major donors to the ‘Where Knowledge Grows’ Capital Campaign were recognized at a special event on Thursday evening, November 17 in the Dansville Public Library’s new addition. Dignitaries attending including State Senator Catharine Young, Dennis O’Brien representing Congresswoman Kathy Hochul’s office, Cynthia Newcomb and Candice Celestin of the USDA Rural Development office in Canandaigua, Dansville Mayor Peter Vogt, and Town Supervisor Dennis Mahus.

In welcoming those attending, Director Teresa Dearing announced, ‘You are now standing inside the vision of many dedicated people.’ She acknowledged donors, ‘those who have given financially and those who have given of their time in countless volunteer hours.’

Mary Ann Holden, secretary of the Board of Trustees, summarized the planning process including the Where Knowledge Grows Capital Campaign. The Campaign exceeded its goal of $750,000 assisted by two major gifts. The first, $250,000 from the Saunders Foundation carries with it the honor of naming the Library’s new addition for the E. Philip and Carole Saunders Family. The second gift arrived from the estate of Mrs. Rosemary Shepard in 2010 with a value of slightly more than $250,000. Before her death, Mrs Shepard was employed as a Dansville Public Library clerk for over 25 years.

Senator Catharine Young noted the Library’s plans began as she entered her office as state senator. She stressed the expansion and renovation is an important contribution to the economic health of Dansville’s Main Street and the community’s revitalization as a whole.

‘Libraries are essential to any community,’ stated USDA NY State Director, Jill Harvey. ‘I have a personal connection to them as I understand the value and significance of what they have to offer. USDA’s Rural Facilities Service has funded over $2.5 million for the expansion of this facility. It is now equipped to hold additional library collections and historic pieces, an accessible community meeting space, new study rooms, a new drive-up book drop, and much more! We are proud to take part in this project which offers exceptional resources to the Dansville Community.’

Writing Barefoot is the product of a creative writing workshop for young people, aged 7-15, which was held at the Dansville Public Library this summer, from August 1st to August 5th. Participants were led through a variety of creative writing and media arts activities by local teacher and writer Dan Folts. Funding for the project was provided by the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts through the Decentralization Grants from the New York State Council on the Arts.

Since the main library was undergoing a building project this summer, it only seemed appropriate that the theme of our workshop be "building."

Read more about our workshop here.

Soon our Library will look more or less like this:





And here are construction photos.

Dansville Rotary Club Pledges $25,Library Board President David Reinholtz announced the receipt of the first payment of $5000 on a Building Campaign Pledge from Dansville Rotary Club of $25,000. "We can’t thank Dansville Rotary Club enough for assisting us with this expansion project. They are thoughtfully investing in the educational and economic future of the community."

"Literacy is one of Rotary International’s primary interests," said Rotary President Jim Sullivan. "Our pledge and donation will support the children’s section of the library. Our goal is to help the library provide excellent children’s services."

"Rotary has taken two "naming opportunities" with this donation and pledge," stated Director Terry Dearing. "The Club has "adopted" the Children’s Story Alcove and one of two Study Rooms. There are still naming opportunities available for donors who have waited to pledge until construction began."

Construction on the addition began in February. Anticipated completion date will be December of this year. Director Terry Dearing can be contacted at 585-335-6720 for more information on the Capital Campaign.

The Fa’ade Renovation Guidelines were developed by Architect Rick Hauser of In.Site:Architecture, Louise Wadsworth from Alliance for Business Growth, Julie Marshal from Livingston County IDA and a local steering committee. The steering committee was composed of various building owners, business owners, and community leaders.

These guidelines will be used in conjunction with the two grants that are currently available. One is New York Main Street Grant for use in the central business district. The New York Main Street Grant applicants will be evaluated and selected based on these guidelines, as well as other weighted criteria laid out by the grant. The second grant is the Livingston County Fa’ade and Sign Grant Program. This grant will be administered by the County and they will also use the Fa’ade Renovation Guidelines in the evaluation and selection process. This grant is open to several other communities in the county. Both grant applications will be available in January 2011.

The Fa’ade Renovation Guidelines document is available here:
www.dansvillelibrary.org/2010-11-24_final-dansville.pdf

Dansville Public Library held its Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new addition on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. A number of dignitaries and library supporters attended the event, including Senator Cathy Young.

Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Mary Ann Holden, welcomed the group of about 60 persons, and took the opportunity to summarize the plan for expansion which began 10 years ago. In addition, Ms. Holden gave an update on the current state of the project. A delay to the start of construction continues as final paperwork is filed with government offices.

Senator Young spoke briefly about her love of libraries and her long involvement with Dansville Public Library. She noted that her first official appearance in Dansville was a moment of excitement for the community. At that point she was on hand to deliver a grant of $50,000 later used toward the purchase of the neighboring Wilcox Auction property, a key move for the library expansion.

Members of Staff and Board joined Senator Young to dig deep and take the first official clods of dirt from the site to make the groundbreaking official. Other community members and staff took their places to dig into the ground. A mix of sleety snow and rain briefly blew in as the event came to a close.

Funding for the new addition has been derived from a variety of sources including private donations to the ongoing ‘Where Knowledge Grows’ Campaign; state library construction grants; capital reserve funds; and construction loans from Community Bank, N.A. and USDA Rural Development and ARRA funds. Gifts to the Campaign are still welcome, and pledge forms are available at the Library.

The Children’s Collection of the Dansville Public Library is now available for use at the former Reinholtz building at 167 Main Street. Hours for the Annex are Wednesday through Friday, 10-12 and 2-6 p.m. Saturday hours are noon until 4 p.m.

The first step in the Library’s building expansion project will be the removal of a 1937 addition on the east side of the Shepard building. Walls of rooms housing staff operations will also be demolished at the same time, and the shelving units attached to those walls, on the other side, will be removed. All these changes necessitated moving staff forward in the building, and and required placing a notable portion of the collection in storage. including adult non fiction books, reference materials, and young adult books.

To make room for staff and the most popular books, adult nonfiction, reference books, the children’s collection and young adult books were boxed and labeled. Through the generosity of owners Roger and Marleen Mark, the Library was able to rent the space at 167 Main Street and the children’s collection was moved, unboxed, and shelved in its new location.